JAY - Z SIGNS ROBINSON CANO TO ROC NATION SPORTS AS HIS FIRST CLIENT

ROBINSON CANO SIGNS TO ROC NATION SPORTS

Yankees second baseman Robinson Cano has fired agent Scott Boras in favor of joining Roc Nation, an entertainment company that is now getting into the sports representation group and has a partnership with Creative Artists Agency (CAA, which boasts Buster Posey, Ryan Braun, Roy Halladay, Matt Cain and several other stars as clients).

The news was revealed Tuesday morning in a CAA press release.

"At this point in my career, I am ready to take a more active role in my endeavors on and off the field," Cano said in a statement. "I am confident that the pairing of Roc Nation Sports and CAA Sports will be essential in helping me accomplish my short- and long-term goals. I am making this important decision now so I can keep my focus on helping the Yankees succeed in 2013, while minimizing any distractions for me and my teammates."

Unbelievably notable here: Rapper, producer and entrepreneur Shawn "Jay-Z" Carter is the founder of Roc Nation, and Darren Rovell of ESPN.com reports Jay-Z is planning to become a certified agent.

“Because of my love of sports, it was a natural progression to form a company where we can
help top athletes in various sports the same way we have been helping artists in the music
industry for years,” Jay-Z said in a statement.

“Jay Z and his team at Roc Nation have successfully orchestrated powerful brand and business-building opportunities for their clients,” said Michael Levine, co-head of CAA Sports in a statement. “We look forward to combining our wide-reaching resources on behalf of top athlete clients like Robinson Cano to help them accomplish their goals on and off the field.”

Cano, 30, is in the last year of a six-year, $57 million contract with the Yankees. In late February, Heyman reported that Cano received what the Yankees believed to be a "significant" offer at a contract extension, but Boras wasn't overly moved.

"Robinson is focused on preparing for and playing the 2013 season,'' Boras said. "By agreement, discussions shall remain confidential. Also by agreement, discussions will cease if they are a distraction to Robinson's performance and leadership of the 2013 Yankees.''

And nothing materialized after that.

Cano is obviously one of baseball's biggest stars. He hit .313/.379/.550 with 33 homers, 94 RBI, 105 runs and 48 doubles last season, finishing fourth in AL MVP voting and winning his second Gold Glove. He's a four-time All-Star and hasn't finished lower than sixth in MVP voting in the past three seasons.